In order to develop waterway tourism products by 2025, in the coming time, the HCMC People's Committee will focus on building, upgrading, and completing the infrastructure system, ports, and transport vehicles to strengthen accessibility and the ability to serve waterway tourists; enhancing the connection with business activities, social communities; raising the quantity, quality, and diversification of waterway transport vehicles, the workforce to serve tourism development in the new situation.
Under the plan, HCMC has set a target of offering five to ten new waterway tourism products and over 20 passenger water transport vehicles. The city also aims at ensuring security, order, safety, and environmental hygiene at waterway tourist destinations to create convenience for residents and businesses to enjoy and operate tourism products; encouraging enterprises to invest in various types of water transportation and “coffee boats” on waterway routes to meet the people’s need for recreational activities and diversify tourist products.
The new waterway services include routes departing from Ngoi Sao Viet Pier in District 7 to Nha Be District; from Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 to Tam Son Pier in Binh Quoi-Thanh Da Island in Binh Thanh District; from Binh Khanh Dock in Ham Long artists’ village to Van Phuc City in Thu Duc City; from Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 to districts 4, 5, 6, 8 , associated with taking a trip in electric vehicles to visit Hai Thuong Lan Ong traditional medicine street, Soai Kinh Lam fabric market, Chinatown and Chinese assembly halls; and from Phuoc Khanh pier in Nha Be District on the Soai Rap River.
The river routes associated with waterway tourism include those departing from Ngoi Sao Viet Pier in District 7 to Can Gio District; from Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 to Can Gio and Cu Chi districts; from Phuoc Khanh Pier in Nha Be District to Can Gio District and Can Giuoc District in the neighboring province of Long An; from Ngoi Sao Viet pier in District 7 to Nhon Trach District in Dong Nai Province and Thanh Hoi and Bach Dang islets in Binh Duong Province.
Additionally, the city will develop long-distance waterway tourism routes from HCMC to Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Long An, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, An Giang provinces, Can Tho City, Con Dao in Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province and Cambodia.
